GOD

Abstract

What is God really like? What sort of personality does he have? What are his values and priorities? And who can best answer such questions? These are vital questions for anyone who wants to understand and please him, and so ensure an eternal future. But they are not philosophical or theological questions. They are about his psychology.

Gary Bakker is a clinical psychologist with 30 years of experience at answering these questions. He has studied God's words and deeds (his self-report and his behavior), found evidence of 16 psychological characteristics of God, and from these, reports some surprising conclusions. For example, if God has what we would regard as a diagnosable psychological problem, can it be treated?

The 16 features/chapters that lead to an overall diagnosis and conclusion are:
-To watch an ant walk, build a solar system for it.
-In order to climb Mt Everest, wait until it is eroded to the size of a hill.
-Make the courtroom look like a café.
-For a fair test, only tell a few of the class there’s an exam tomorrow.
-For a fair test, give everyone different exam questions.
-For a fair test, lock most of the students out of the class.
-Revenge, not rehab. That’s the Godly way.
-Put it on paper, but keep it confusing, contradictory, vague, and very horrible.
-Violence is good; Or maybe not; But mostly yes.
-Treat me like a king; I’m insecure.
- God likes dumb people.
- Blessed are the sheep.
-Mind your brain.
-Here’s a good yarn.
-Praying to the poker machine.
-Love God more than your Mum.

REVIEWS
"Gary's clinical psychological examination of what we can know about God is a fresh perspective, and so makes for an interesting read. With this inside information on what God's priorities and preferences and personality really are, even I may be able to ingratiate myself with him, and inveigle my way into Heaven."
David Nicholls, President, Atheist Foundation of Australia